Collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly

ABSTRACT

A collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly. The assembly includes a base and at least one side post that is removably secured to and extends away from the base. A top portion is removably secured to the side post so that the side post may be removed after use and stored within the top portion for storage. The base tapers downwardly in the opposite direction of the side post towards a central opening in order to accommodate a bulk storage bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bulk storage pallets. More specifically thisinvention relates to a collapsible bulk storage pallet.

Bulk storage pallets are typically used in the seed industry forcommodity transport. Specifically large canvas bulk bags hold seed orother commodities and are placed upon the pallet for transportation by aforklift or other heavy machinery. These bulk bags can hold over 2,000pounds of commodities.

There are several deficiencies with current pallets. For example,pallets typically are susceptible to having a hole ripped in the bagcausing the seed or commodity to spill. Additionally the bags can betipped over causing them to roll off the pallet and open and spill seed.Another problem with pallets is that they are bulky in size and are noteasy to store once the pallets are not being used. Consequentially aneed in the art exists for an improved bulk storage pallet.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a bulk storagepallet that minimizes the commodity spilled from a bag resting on thepallet.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bulk storagepallet that is collapsible and easy to store.

These and other objects, features, or advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the specification and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly having a base and at leastone side post that is removably secured to and extends away from thebase. A top portion removably receives and is secured to the side post.The base tapers downwardly from the edge of the base toward a centralopening to accommodate a bulk storage bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible bulk storage palletassembly holding a bulk storage bag;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pieces of a collapsiblebulk storage pallet assembly; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective exploded view of the base of acollapsible bulk storage pallet assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly 10. Thepallet assembly 10 has a base 12 that is removably secured to aplurality of side posts 14 that in turn are removably secured to a topportion 16. When the base 12, side post 14 and top portion 16 aresecured together they form an interior chamber 18 that contains a bulkstorage bag 20 therein. When the pallet assembly 10 is not holding astorage bag 20 the plurality of side posts 14 are removable from thebase 12 and top portion 16 so that the top portion 16 can rest on thebase 12. In this manner the pallet assembly 10 is collapsible.

The base 12 has a top surface 22 and bottom surface 24. The top surface22 contains openings 25 for receiving the side post 14. The base 12tapers downwardly from an edge 26 of the base 12 toward a centralopening 28 that is disposed through the base 12. By tapering toward thecentral opening 28 the base accommodates the bulk storage bag 20 so thatthe bulk storage bag 20 rests comfortably in the base 12 minimizing thelikelihood that the bag 20 tips over causing grain to spill.

As best shown in FIG. 3 the base 12 has two forklift openings 30disposed therethrough for receiving the tongs of a forklift formovement. Additionally the bottom surface 24 has a pair of spaced apartflanges 32 that have grooves 34 disposed therein. The grooves 34removably and slidably receive a slide gate 36 that slides in place tocover the central opening 28. The slide gate 36 thus prevents seed orother commodity from flowing through the opening 28.

The side posts 14 extend from a first tapered end 38 that is received bythe base 12 to a second open end 40 that receives the top portion 16. Byhaving a tapered first end 38 a tight secure fit is presented betweenthe base 12 and the side posts 14. Additionally this allows the sideposts to be removable from the base 12 so that the assembly 10 may becollapsed. While in the embodiment four side posts are shown and theside post is shown as tubular, the side post may be of any shape ornumber without falling outside the scope of the present disclosure.

The top portion 16 comprises a frame 42 that in a preferred embodimentis square. The top portion 16 additionally has a plurality of braces orsupports 44 that extend across and within the frame 42. To provideadditional support the bag 20 may be tied to the supports 44.Additionally within the frame 42 is a compartment 46 that is of size andshape to receive and retain the side posts 14. Therefore when the sideposts 14 are removed from the top portion 16 and base 12 the pluralityof side posts 14 may be placed within the compartment 46 for storage.

The top portion 16 additionally has a plurality of tapered posts 48 thatare received by the second end 40 of the side posts 14. The posts 48 arealso received by the openings 25 within the base 12. Consequently oncethe side posts 14 are removed and placed within compartment 46, the topportion 16 is placed and secured to the base 12 by placing the posts 48within the openings 25. The end result is a compact collapsible storageassembly 10 that can be easily stored.

The bulk storage bag 20 can be made of any material including canvas.The bulk storage bag 20 may also have a plurality of straps 50 that canbe tied to the pallet assembly 10 and specifically around the braces 44.Additionally the bag 20 can have a spout 52 that in one embodiment maybe wrapped around the central opening 28 to allow seed or commodity tobe dispelled through the spout 52 to a desired location. In thisembodiment the slide gate 36 is used in order to cover central opening28 to stop seed or commodity from flowing out of the bag 20.

In operation the collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly 10 has a bulkstorage bag 20 placed thereon. Because the top surface 22 of the base 12is tapered the bulk storage bag 20 is accommodated by the base 12minimizing spilling. Once the bulk storage bag is removed and theassembly 10 is no longer needed to transport the bulk storage bag 20,the top portion 16 is removed from the side posts 14 and the side posts14 are removed from the base 12. At this point in time the side posts 14are placed in the compartment 46 of the top portion 16 and the topportion is placed on top of the base 12. Once the top portion 16 andbase 12 are secured to one another the assembly 10 can be easily stored.

Thus disclosed is an improved collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly.The assembly 10 by having a tapered base minimizes the chance of a bulkstorage bag tipping over or being torn. Similarly the braces or supports44 provide attachments for straps 50 of the bulk storage bag 20 in orderto provide additional support to prevent movement or ripping of the bag20. The use of the slide gate 36 minimizes the amount of commodity orseed that is lost out of the central opening 28 during transportation.Finally because the side post 14 is removable from the base 12 and topportion 16 and easily contained within compartment 46, the assembly 10is easily stored. Consequently at the very least all of the statedobjectives have been met.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variousmodifications could be made to the device without the parting from thespirit and scope of this invention. All such modifications and changesfall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be coveredthereby.

1. A collapsible bulk storage pallet assembly comprising: a base, atleast one side post removably secured to and extending away from thebase; a top portion removably secured to the side post; and said basetapering downwardly from the edge of the base toward a central opening.2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a slide gate removablyconnected to the base.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the slide gateslidably covers the central opening.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 whereinthe top portion has a plurality of braces that hold straps from the bulkstorage bag.
 5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the top portion has acompartment that receives the side post when the side post is removedfrom the top portion and base.
 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein theside post has a tapered first end that is received by the base to securethe side post to the base.
 7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein thecentral opening receives a spout of the bulk storage bag and the taperedbase facilitates commodity flow.